DIV Protocol, a French startup, is set to launch a full office suite on Tuesday, September 15, offering businesses an alternative to Proton with zero knowledge encryption. Founded in 2022 by two 15-year-old co-founders, the company initially explored web3 concepts before shifting focus to encryption solutions tailored for French businesses dealing with strict compliance requirements. Currently employing twelve people, DIV Protocol targets lawyers, insurers, and defense subcontractors, with long-term ambitions to expand to the general public. The startup’s model positions itself between a company's hosting provider and its business tools, offering a suite of encrypted services—such as drive storage, video conferencing, email, and calendar—hosted in France with backup systems at OVH and Scaleway. Customers use a "Bring Your Own Key" system, where they import their own encryption key in the form of a seed phrase and retain full control over it. This method enables AES-256 encryption with a key cascade system, ensuring that even DIV Protocol’s internal teams cannot access customer files. There are two key management configurations: some customers, usually self-employed professionals, store their keys in a Key Management System (KMS), which allows access under legal orders. Others keep their keys entirely private, making it impossible for DIV Protocol to access their data, even under judicial pressure. A KYC (Know Your Customer) system is in place to help avoid legal issues, though the company acknowledges that hosting providers like OVH and Scaleway might be compelled to retrieve or delete encrypted data if required by law. Compared to Proton, DIV Protocol’s co-founder, Solan Després, highlights that Proton Business accounts use a KMS for account recovery, while personal accounts do not. DIV Protocol differentiates itself by offering zero-knowledge encryption, traceability, and an administration panel for IT departments—features more commonly found in business-to-business (B2B) solutions. Initially targeting lawyers and notaries, the startup found this market less strategic for growth and now focuses on insurers with turnover under 50 million euros. It aims to gradually expand into larger companies through legal, procurement, or HR departments. The defense industry is also a key target, as subcontractors of Thales or Dassault Systèmes must meet client-imposed standards, and DIV Protocol can serve them without needing the SecNumCloud qualification. DIV Protocol is part of incubation programs with OVHcloud and Scaleway, with OVHcloud already offering SecNumCloud-qualified services and Scaleway planning its own qualification process in 2025. The startup is also involved in the Hexatrust cybersecurity cluster and holds a European patent protecting its core technology, with plans to gradually release non-patented components. The company has raised around 500,000 euros so far and is planning a pre-seed round of several million euros. On September 15, it will unveil a private advisory board composed of former executives from CAC 40 companies in defense, pharmacy, and health sectors, marking the official launch of its office suite, which is already in use by current clients.